US 12,187,386 B2
Convertible bimini tops for marine vessels
Blake M. Messick, Rockledge, FL (US); Carrie A. Fodor, Cape Canaveral, FL (US); Jeffery Joseph Lee King, Cocoa, FL (US); and Kristin M. McGinnis, Cocoa Beach, FL (US)
Assigned to Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed by Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/579,674.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/141,568, filed on Jan. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0234688 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B63B 17/02 (2006.01); B63J 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B63B 17/02 (2013.01) [B63J 3/00 (2013.01); B63J 2003/002 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A convertible bimini top for a marine vessel, the convertible bimini top comprising:
a cover frame,
at least one support arm for supporting the cover frame above the marine vessel, the support arm having a lower end configured to be pivotably coupled to the marine vessel and an upper end pivotably coupled to the cover frame,
a lower actuator coupled to the lower end of the support arm, the lower actuator being configured to pivot the support arm relative to the marine vessel to move the cover frame up and down relative to the marine vessel, and
an upper actuator coupled to the upper end of the support arm and to the cover frame, the upper actuator being configured to pivot the cover frame relative to the support arm, and
a user input device configured to control the lower actuator and the upper actuator, wherein the user input device is configured to control the upper actuator independently of the lower actuator.